2025 is officially underway, with several nations competing for a chance to become the next champion. However, the competition has been marred with controversy surrounding Israel's inclusion in the contest. Last week, more than 70 former Eurovision contestants signed a letter calling on the organisers to ban Israel from the competition amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Over 200 people protested in the host city of Basel on Wednesday (May 14), demanding an end to Israel's military offensive and the country's expulsion from Eurovision. In previous years, other countries have been banned from the contest. Belarus was suspended in 2021 after submitting an overtly political entry, before Russia was barred a year later over the war in Ukraine.

Eurovision said it understood the concerns and views about the ongoing situation in the Middle East, but insisted that members should ensure the contest remained a "universal event that promotes connections, diversity and inclusion through music".

24-year-old singer Yuval Raphael is representing Israel this year's song contest. She was of the attendees at the Nova festival, which was attacked by Hamas on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people.

Yuval attempted to flee the carnage as rockets were fired from Gaza into Israel and Hamas gunmen began shooting at revellers. She was one of just 11 survivors from a group of around 50 people who took refuge in a concrete bomb shelter on the side of the road.

Yuval will take to the stage for the second Eurovision semi-final tonight (May 15), where she'll perform her song, New Day Will Rise, written by Keren Peles.

The power ballad has a message of hope, suggesting that "darkness will fade" and "all the pain will go by."

Yuval sings the song in French and Hebrew, but she also wanted to incorporate English as she felt that it would help a global audience connect to the lyrics.

"Crying is not a bad thing, it's a way of expressing your emotions and letting everything out instead of keeping it inside," she added.

"And crying with someone else or someone that relates to your grief is something that is so healing... hopefully [viewers will] take the message of embracing each other and bringing hope to each other."

Yuval will perform the song from inside a huge silver spiral staircase structure, alongside a cascading waterfall set.

The Eurovision Song Contest continues with the second semi-final on Thursday, May 15 at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The Grand Final will take place on Saturday, May 17 at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer